Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-05

sique, with the proud head we'll poised
upon q pair OF broad shoulders, wonld
have delighted the heart OF an artist.
Perhaps before indulgence, exposure,
and hardship had stamped themselves
indelibly upon his countenancc the
features might not have been so re-
pulsive, but on the night I saw him
that strange combination Of agonized
wearing, deceit, and ferocity can only
We characterized by that opprobious
bord.
Once, in a menagerie, saw a lion
crouchiDg over the mangled, bleeding
body of his keeper, whom he had killed
in "A Git of anger. And the look of that
man, as he gazedinto my face, as If he
would read my very thoughts, instantly
recalled to my mind the expression of
that lions face when some adventurous
spirit dragged away the remains of the
unfortunate keeper
an only too conscious that my de-
scfiption does not properly convey an
idea of that man as he appeared TO me.
Int you must take into consideration
tie whole circumstances of our meet
ing-the late hour, the solitude, the
srddenness of the encounter, the state
of my nerves after such an evening of
surprises-before you pass any harsh
judgment on my conduct.
In point of fact, that encounter had
q deeper effect upon me than would
Ice imagined. A fright, however Sc
we're, soon loses its terror, and the lapse
of time generally brings oblivion. But
as the days passed the effects of the
shock / had experienced seemed to in
crease night and day that mans face
lowered before my eyes, shaping itself
into thousand hideous contortions.
lie seemed to have acquired an inhu-
ence over me which | could not shake
off, and no measure that adopted had
the effect of dissipating the feeling.
/ had called about dozen times at
/ Mrs. Rossiter's house since that mem
orable evening. To all outward APP
! pcarances she was quite restored to
health so | felt compelled to state that
in future my services could be dis
pensed with. But this strange woman
persisted that she was still far from
well, and begged me so eagerly to con-
time my visits that | consented. To
tell the truth, | should have been sorry
| if the acquaintance had ceased. There
was something about this woman and
the general tone of the house which ex-
cited my curiosity, and l quite looked
forward to penetrating the mystery.
About that time | became anxious
about my health. Never robust, lately
had become chiefly, think, through
the shock Of that hideous mans appear
ance and the strange manner in which
his presence had haunted me-self-con-
scious, weak, and irritable. | started
at the slightest noise, and could not set
tie down to my work mt all.
Mrs. Rooster herself was an enigma.
She appeared to be always in a state of
nervous tension always on the alert
always expecting something or some
body, and never having those expectG-
tons realized. ] have seen her for au
hour or two at time sitting erect and
motionleis and listening always listen
ing with an intensity which she did not
attempt TO conceal. No reference to
her strange behavior on our first meet
ing had ever passed between rs, and /
was not quite certain whether sac was
conscious Of what had taken place.
The relations between mother and
Gauol ter were far from friendly. Hiss
NO,sitor vas certainly not wanting IN
affection and respect, but every sign OF
feeling was at once checked by her
motLr with q harshncsS that could
only have been prompted by dislike
and later on | discovered that Mrs.
Possitor not only disliked but hated
Ter daughter. Here was another mat
ter for surprise. | could not but be
sorlv for Miss ROssiteT, and, in my de-
sire to snow my sympathy, perhaps
aid her more attention than / should
otherwise have done. Her mother
scemed TO approve OF my conduct, for
She took every opportunity of throwing
ia together and made point OF leav-
ing Us alone as much as possible.
As the months passed by my visits
loCamc more and more frequent. Now,
man does not usually call at house
Jour times a week merely for the sake
Of seeing and holding converse with an
elderly lady. And, in point OF fact, |
did not attempt to disguise the real
Iurport Of my visits. ] found III Miss
Rossiter that complement of my
nature which Mr.. Grant Allen
assures us should be the only
motive for falling in love. 1t
is not my intention to weary You
with en- analysis of my feelings or a
history Of orr courtship. 1t has no
thing to do with my story, and [ could
never understand how any people, save
the parties engaged, could feel much
interest in such matters. My atten-
tions did not seem distasteful to Miss
Tossiter. and ] found that as my in
forest in this girl increased my interest
in the mystery wished to penetrate
disminished.
| will pass quickly over those halycon
davS-the dawn of our love-and hasten
on 20 an event that occurred shortly
riter Miss Rossiter had promised 10
lecomc nv wife. We were standing
late one evening in the little front par
Tor of their house exchanging a
! itDE LHCllth LOOu-bNts Ohi MINUS Nti'
clasped and | was bcnding down to
hiss her, when I saw something
which caused me to start suddenly
backward with an exclamation Of
Lorror Reflected on the Holland
Lind ] distinctly saw the profile Of
that lion-faced man. Miss Rossitcr
/ looked at me in amazement bat !
made some hurried explanation about
ieing overcome by a sudden attack OF
ciddincss, and shortly after took my
departure. What did it all mean?
There was Il bare possibility that his
appearancc was a mere trick of my
i.nap1nation. ] determined TO inveSti-
ate the matter. Making a wide de-
tour, | returned to Mrs. Rosslter's
house, entered the garden, and crept
stealthily up the path.
No / had not been deceived. There,
in the soft mold of the garden-bed,
we're two deep indentures, showing
where he had stood.
| walked slowly home. Was there
any possible connection between this
loan and the inmates of that house?
No. the idea was absurd, and | dis
missed it from NY mind. Other mat
ters soon claimed my attention. The
cate Of our marriage had been fixed,
Al i Il